Process for the manufacture of sugar



Patented Apr 20, 1926. 1

UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE HERMAN scnnnmnia', or LAusING, nucmoAN. PROCESS FOR THE UFACTURE SU G ARI No Drawing. Application filed May 28, 1925. Serial No. 3 2,484

To all whom it may concern: containing a small amount of an acid such Be it-known that I, HERMAN Sormnrnnn, as hydrochloric, so that the resulting mix- 65 citizen of the Un'ted States, residing at ture shall contain about .01%'of HG]. The Lansing, county of lngham, State ofMichisame may be directly mixed or dissolved in 5 gan, have invented certain new and useful a small quantity ofdifiusion juice from the Improvements in; Processes for the Manubeets, then added to the'batch-or mass being facture' of Sugar, of which the following is treated. 60 a specification. I This solution or suspension of the digest- This invention relates to an improved ing reagents is thoroughly mixed withthe process for the manufacture of beet sugar. ditfusion juice from the beets and allowed It relates particularly to the treatment of to stand and react for from five to thirtythe diffusion juice in the process of purifiminutes, fifteen minutes being usually sufii- 65 cation or defecation. It further relates to cient. The juice at the end of this period 1 the im roved product derived therefrom,-- is transferred into another tank. Then particu arly the recovery of the residue as from one-fourth to one-fifth the amount of brown sugar or molasses. milk of lime used in other processes is The object of the invention is the purifi added, so thatabout .5% Ca..() on beets will 7 cation or defecation of the saccharine juices be in the mixture. This mixture is then derived from plants such as sugar beets, heated to the usual temperature used at sugar cane or sorghum by. diffusion, ex: firstcarbonation, and treated with carbon traction or expression; to prepare them betd mfl g a s cus mary, to an alkalinity ter and" atless expense and loss for cryswhere the mixture will break and filter, 75 tallization of the sugar sucrose which they which in common praoticejvaries from about contain; and to recover in available form .05% to 15% CaOby titration withphethe molasses. nolphthalein as indicator as to usual tem- Further objects pertaining to details of perature,"th'e practice varies in different 10- the process will appear from the detailed decnlities, possibly the beets grown under dif- Y ,scriptiongto follow. I accomplish the obfcrcnt condition, call for or permit varia jocts in the manner described in the foltions in temperature. My process calls for 30 lowing specification, The invention is deno change as to temperature. Bybreak is fined and pointed out in the claims. meant the usual condition ofseparation-into The way I prefer to carry on the process insoluble and soluble material containing 85 of my invention is to bring the juices to a. the sugar. 2 v suitable temperature and acidity somewhere The mixture is filtered,- the cake washed between 0 and 809. C. and a pH of 1.5 to as usual, and the filtrate and washing heat- 7.(), and adt to them the active digestive,- ed to fromfZO" to 100- C. are again treated precipitating and coagulating principles with-carbon dioxide gas until the alkalinity?! contained in .conunercial pepsin or rennet falls to .01% to .05% C210 by phenolphtha or like material from a great variety of lein test, when itis heated to to 100 40 animals, hogs, sheep, cattle or goats and G. and filtered again in the customarymansimilar enzymes are derived from plants. ner. The filtrate from this secondcarbo- These may be comprehensively described and nation may be sent direct to the evaporators I embraced in the term proteolvtic enzyme. or be subjected to a treatment with sulfur- I will describe, for example,'the manudioxide, as is customary in present practice,

facture of beet sugar as carried on by my filtered and the filtrate evaporated to a process. The ditl'usio'n juice of beets as syrup in the usual way, which syrupis prepared in the regular manufacture of either directly boiled down to a white sugar from bcets,,is heated to 52 C. or massecuite or united with "a portion of thereabout. For each ton of beets worked, melter (dissolved brown sugar) and then 50 I add about one-fifth to one-third ounce of boiled downto a white massecuite, and the U. S. P. pepsin, l to 3000 strength,- or its white sugar is obtained, and from the resiequivalent in rennet. Thi I previously due the high green brown sugar and m0- have mixed and dissolved in water, or water la sses are obtained.

The method of 'defecating or purifying such difl'usion juice now'in extensive use is to heat it from 70 to 95 C., add from 2% to 5% 01' more CaO on beets, the quantity varying with the quality of the beets, and treat with carbon dioxide to an alkalinity from .O5% to .1570 C210 where the mixture will break and filter, whereupon it is filtered thnu presses and the cake washed, and a part of the wash water and all the filtrate [are sent to another carbonation tank where the alkalinity, is reduced to around 025% to .05% C210 by phenolphthalein, either with rated to a syrup.-

What I avoid is the use of the large exor without the addition of more milk of lime before the carbonation. The carbonated mixture is filtered, the filtrate is heated to around 100 C. and treated with sulfur dioxide gas to reduce the alkalinity to about 015% to 03% (1210, depending upon the alkalinity of the thick juice from evaporation, when it is filtered and the filtrate sent to the evaporators to be evapocess of lime and the uncertainty attendant. The present practice referred to results in the production of an inedible syrup and massecuite, and therefore an inedible brown sugar and final molasses. My process avoids sugar it is impossible to state definite amounts of the materials to be used, because the character and quality of juice varies at any given plant durin a campai n. There is a difference in qua ity in difi erent portions of the same State and in different Por tions of the country where the crops are produced, requiring slight differences in adjustment.i n treatment to' accomplish-the result. It is not possible to state the quantity of material used in precise amount butonly an indication by which the proper amounts may be used. The best method is to determine quantitatively the amount of reagent to use. This can readily be done by quantitative analysis with standard solution for any particular quality .of juice being operated upon. When this is determined with accuracy, the variation for a considerable period will be so slight that no further attention need be given until it is evident there has been considerable change in the product or-in conditions. Beets stored for any length of time change in their consistency and call for adjustment. r

In carrying out my process I may mix or dissolve the active principles in water, in

water containing a small amount of an acid such as hydrochloric, or in diffusion 'uice before introducing them into the bul of the saccharine juice, or add them in dry form directly t the juice to be purified, and I may add a small amount of acid to the saccharine juice to be treated to facilitate the action, though it is ,not alwaysnecessary.

Such addition should probably not exceed .01% acid, as hydrochloric, in the acidified juice. Many acids are recognized as equivalents.

After the reaction with the active rinciples has proceeded sufficiently far, add milk of lime as above and heat 'to the temperature necessary for carbonation, or I may heat the juice to the proper temperature and then add the milk of lime as required.

This method of treating juices with the in the case of diffusion juice from beets, in the production of an edible thick juice capable of producing an edible brown sugar and final molasses from beets yield of crystallized sugar is obtained than by the old method referred to. The thin juices produced show better purification.

The -method and process is apparently active principles of pepsin or rennet results A larger available for the manufacture of sugar from sorghum, although this has not yet been worked out in detail. I have mentioned sugar cane and sorghum. particularly, the

details of which will be made the subject matter of independent patent applications.

I I have described my invention in detail so as to enable those skilled in the art to gpply '11) to the manufacture. of sugar from eets.

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In the manufacture of sugar froin beets, the treatment of the diffusion juice with pepsin in the presence of acid reactive Having thus described my invention, what with pepsin until reaction hasoccurred, then adding milk of lime to the treated juice.

then 'carbonating'with carbon dioxide gas until the alkalinity is reduced to such point i as to obtain a break, then filtering, and con tinuing the treatment of the filtered juice in the usual way.

2. In the manufacture of sugar from beets,

the treatment of the diffusion juice with.

pepsin until reaction has occurred, then adding milk of lime to the treated juice, then carbonatin with carbon dioxide gas until the alkalinity is reduced to such point as to obtain a break, then filterin and continuing the treatment of the filte ed juice in the usual way. 3. In the manufacture of sugar the step which comprises the treatment of the juices which comprises the treatment of the'juices with pepsin in the presence of acid reactive with proteolytic enzymes until reaction has with pepsin until reaction has occurred. occurred, 7 1o 4. In the manufacture of sugar the step In witness whereof 'I have hereunto set 5 which comprises the treatment of'the juices my hand; I i with pepsin until reaction has occurredr 5. In thernanufacture of sugar the step HERMAN SCHREIBER. 

